The Changing of the Guard
by Mists
Summary: The moment Aang breathed his last, Avatar Korra was born. This is the story of Aang's death and Korra's birth. What does this all have to do with Sokka? Well... read the story and find out. One-shot. Deep character exploration of Sokka. Complete!


**Disclaimer: **I don't own "Avatar: The Last Airbender" or "Avatar: The Legend of Korra." This is my first Avatar fic of any kind. Pretty much this is my theory about Korra's family. I'm 70% sure that my theory is right, so if you don't want an interesting part of what might be part of Korra's character revealed to you, please leave now…

This story mostly takes place on the day of Korra's birth.

And with that, on with the fic!

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><p><strong>-The Changing of the Guard-<strong>

**By: Mists**

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><p>Councilman Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe sat in an igloo vigorously polishing the blade of his sword. Since he had learned the great art of smithing from his master and friend Piandao, Sokka would put his restless energy into sharpening his deadly creations to perfection. The steady back and forth motion of his strokes and the endless spinning of the wheel calmed the seasoned fighter. Sokka always functioned better when he had something to focus on.<p>

And today, the old warrior was in great need of some relief.

Life for Sokka since the war had been good overall. The waterbenders sent from their sister tribe had helped rebuild and revitalize their culture. When Sokka looked out over his home, he could barely recognize the place. His people were doing much more than surviving; they were thriving. The Southern Water Tribe no longer consisted of one tiny village, but now spread far across the frozen landscape. Over a hundred small villages had sprung up outside the main city. One of which, Sokka and the rest of his family were staying in today.

Sokka felt great pride in being part of that change. Once his broken leg had healed, Sokka decided to travel the world on his own. He learned all he could and was always creating and inventing. Many of his creations were altering the world in ways he would have never dreamed of in his youth.

It was wonderful… and yet terrifying in a way. The world that now existed was nothing like the world he had known.

Whether it had changed for the better… was still for time to determine.

Sokka eventually returned to train with Master Piandao for a time, and made quite a name for himself as a Master Swordsman. He eventually became involved in politics and was elected as Republic City's Councilman for the Southern Water Tribe. Over the years, Sokka had earned many illustrious titles, such as: Sifu, Grand Lotus, Artist, Poet, Revolutionary Scholar…

But to this day, the most valuable titles he had ever earned were that of husband and father. He and Suki married late in life, both having their own obligations to their nations. Heck, Toph even got married and had a kid before they did. But as time went on, the pair finally had a child. Sokka had never been so proud. He would take his newborn everywhere he could; shoving the poor child obnoxiously in people's faces while demanding to know if they had ever seen a more perfect baby.

Or at least that's what Katara _said_ he did… his memory was a little fuzzy on the details…

But with all the joys life had bestowed on Sokka, it had also dealt the warrior a great deal of sorrow. As "Uncle" Iroh (as he eventually became known as to all the Aang gang) once said, "The bitter taste of life will always come, but it shall only make the sweet all the sweeter." Sokka knew that Iroh was just making another tea analogy, like he always did. But for some reason, this one stuck with him.

It hadn't been very long after the birth of their child, that Suki was called to lead the Kyoshi Warriors one last time. They were going against an anti-bender uprising that had been stirring in the Earth Kingdom. It was to have been her last battle before she passed on the title of leader on to another…

But it seemed their happy life together was not meant to be…

Suki's death meant Sokka now had to raise their newborn on his own. Well… not entirely on his own, while his father had passed several years before; Katara, Aang, Zuko, and Toph offered all the help and support they could. Luckily, Katara and Aang's three children were all grown at this point so they were available to stay with him through this trying time. The advice Uncle Iroh had given Sokka in his youth had proved to be quite useful. And as the years passed, Sokka found himself modeling his life more and more after his old friend's. Even at his ripe old age, Sokka was always moving and exploring. He wasn't one to let the years dictate his attitude on life.

In what seemed like no time at all, Sokka's child had grown up, gotten married, and moved to a small Southern Water tribe village. As his family grew in size, the number of Sokka's friends began to dwindle; which brought the seasoned warrior back to why he was so nervous today.

You see, Sokka was about to earn another title on par with husband and father …

He was about to become, a _grandfather._

Gahh! That made him feel old, but it also filled his heart with immense joy as well.

There was going to be a new little bundle of energy walking around and he couldn't wait!

The only problem was… the baby was coming early; far earlier than any of them had expected.

"_This baby sure kicks a lot. I think he or she really wants to get out of there and start living," _said Senna just a few weeks earlier.

Sokka prayed to Yue every night for a week that Katara and Aang would make it in time. His sister was the most accomplished healer of any waterbender alive. If anyone could deliver the baby safely, Katara could.

But fate did not seem to be on Sokka's side today. For you see, there was another reason why he was feverishly working on his sword.

Aang was lying in the next igloo over… on his deathbed.

Katara was sitting with him right now, and would come and get Sokka when she was going to check on the mother and baby again. She had been going between the two for nearly forty-eight hours straight. He could tell his sister was exhausted, but she refused to rest.

"_No, Sokka. I'm fine. I'll take care of them both, don't worry…"_

But even Sokka, with his lack of spiritual powers, could feel that Aang was slipping away.

He and Katara had been preparing for this for a while now. Aang had been slowing down in recent years. Long ago, the three had come to the conclusion that Aang had used up his extra "Avatar" years when he was trapped in the iceberg. The changing political climate was not helping matters either. The anti-bender rebellion was growing more powerful, and had been targeting Aang and his family as of late. Being the Avatar had once again, become very dangerous.

Sokka pitied whoever would be born as the next Avatar… she (as the cycle will go) will have a very rough road ahead.

What a horrible time for this happen… Sokka doubted Tenzin and his older siblings would arrive in time.

He was just about to place his sword back against the wheel, when Hanka burst through the doorway.

"Councilman Sokka!" she exclaimed out of breath, "You had better come quick. Things have taken a turn for the worse."

Sokka quickly sheathed his sword and hurried after Hanka.

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><p>When they entered the igloo, they were met with utter chaos.<p>

"Get that water in here! We're running low!"

"We need more help in here; we're losing him!"

"Sifu Katara, I can handle this. Please, go be with you husband."

"No, if I stop her heart rate will drop-"

"Master Katara, please!" begged Hanka next to Sokka as they walked into the room. "I will be able to keep her stable. I promise you."

"But, I…" she said forlornly looking up from her patient with a worn expression.

"Katara," said Sokka sternly as he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away from the bed. "Go to Aang, the others can handle it."

"But…"

"No, buts!" exclaimed Sokka as he guided Katara out of the room. "I will not allow you to give up your final moments with Aang over this. For once in your damn life Katara, be selfish!"

"Sokka!" she gasped in a scandalized tone. But Sokka interrupted her asking aloud, "Hanka, are mother and baby both stable?"

"Yes," said Hanka, having immediately taken the place that Katara had vacated. "She is doing far better than she has been these last few days; thanks to your excellent work, Sifu Katara. We can take it from here."

"But, I-"

"You heard her, Katara. You trained Hanka yourself, remember? If she says it's going to be fine; it will be. Now, go!" yelled Sokka as he gave her a quick push out the doorway and closed the curtain on her.

"Cranky old man!" she yelled back at him before finally leaving to be at Aang's side.

"Crazy old bat!" he lovingly snapped in reply as he turned his attention back to the woman giving birth.

"Okay! This is it! I can see the head! One last push and this baby should be out of there!" exclaimed Hanka as the Senna wailed in pain.

"I can't! I can't! Please, no more!"

"Come on, honey! You can do it! Just one more, sweetheart! Just one more!"

The woman on the bed took a few moments to gather her strength.

And then, finally, gave one last monumental push.

The baby slipped out and wailed to life.

"It's a girl! Honey, it's a girl!" exclaimed Tonraq as he let go of his wife's hand. He then quickly made his way over to see their new born child.

They cleaned the healthy baby off as Sokka laughed watching the new father clamoring to hold his daughter. Sokka remembered back to when he had felt the same excitement as well.

Sokka then went over to the new mother and patted her hand lovingly. "Are you doing okay there?"

"Yeah," Senna sighed in relief, "I'm feeling a lot stronger now."

"Don't worry, Councilman Sokka. She's stable now," reassured Hanka as she wiped the sweat off her brow. "A few good nights of rest and she'll be right as rain."

Sokka sighed in relief and turned toward the smiling new father as he brought his child over to meet Senna.

She lovingly took the child into her arms. The little girl giggled and started glancing around the room with inquisitive blue eyes. Tonraq then reached out and ruffled her head of dark-brown hair.

"Hello there, little one. We've been waiting a long time to meet you!" laughed the new mother as tears of joy rolled down her face.

Sokka felt his heart swell with such joy! He was a grandfather! Sokka then let out another joyful laugh.

"Councilman Sokka," said Senna formally after a few more moments, "I would like to present, your Granddaughter… Korra."

She then gently placed the child into Sokka's arms.

"Well hello there, Korra. I'm your Grandpa Sokka, Gramp-Gramp or Grand-Sokka work just fine, too. We're going to have a lot of fun together!"

The little girl babbled happily in Sokka's strong arms. She was breathtakingly beautiful. He and Tonraq were going to have to beat the boys off of her when she got older.

Sokka had just reached out to tickle her under the chin when he heard the sound of the curtain in front of the door move.

He looked up to see… Katara… standing in the doorway as white as a ghost.

Sokka felt the smile on his face immediately fall.

"Katara…" he asked in a hoarse whisper… already knowing the answer…

"He's… he's gone," she croaked out just as tears began to stream from her bright blue eyes.

Sokka immediately handed the baby back to her mother.

He then briskly walked over and engulfed his sister in the strongest hug he had.

She clung to him in a desperate embrace and openly wept. When she fell to her knees, Sokka fell with her.

And together, they mourned the loss of another member of their family….

…All while Sokka fought a nagging feeling in the back of his head… that his new granddaughter might be more than she seemed.

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><p>It was several weeks later that it dawned on Sokka what something might be.<p>

And it _frightened_ him.

So much that he did not even mention the possibility of it to Katara, when she left to spend time with Tenzin and the rest of her family.

Was his granddaughter… actually Aang's reincarnation?

That was… a really _weird_ concept for Sokka to wrap his head around.

So one night, when he was watching the little ball of energy that was Korra, he performed a test…

One that he knew the temple priests had used to identify Aang as the Avatar when he was a child.

He took four toys and placed them in Korra's crib, one of which was Aang's flying bison whistle.

Aang had given it to Sokka on his deathbed...

"_Here… I wanted you… to have it, Sokka. I'm sure Appa would have liked... that. Take care…. of Katara… for me, …okay? I know… you will anyway… but… I still… wanted to ask…"_

Sokka clutched the whistle tightly for a moment as he thought back to his last conversation with Aang, the man who had become his brother.

When Sokka finally regained his composure, he placed the toys equal distances apart, and then let Korra choose.

She looked at each object for a long while…

But then eventually settled on…

The _**ball**_**.**

"_Oh thank goodness,"_ thought Sokka as he sighed in relief. He then placed a hand on his forehead and exclaimed, "You had me worried there for a while, sweetheart."

He then turned to leave the room so Korra could get to sleep…

But the sound of a long drawn out whistle stopped him in his tracks.

Sokka slowly turned around to see Korra blowing into the whistle.

At first, this didn't really alarm Sokka because, after all, she had gone after the _ball._

But… as Sokka listened… he realized that she wasn't just randomly blowing into it like a normal child would.

No… the notes she made… were the same ones Aang had played to call Appa.

And the most damning evidence of all… was the way she looked around after she was done… as if expecting someone to come.

Sokka walked toward Korra's crib in a daze and fell hard to his knees before it.

He then reached inside and picked up baby Korra into his arms.

"A-Aang? I-is that you?" croaked out Sokka as Korra looked at her grandpa like he had lost his mind.

She then gave him a raspberry and tried to do her favorite thing in the world, pull on his long white wolf's tail.

As he watched his granddaughter laugh and giggle he realized something…

The babe he held was _not_ Aang.

Aang was gone.

Regardless of whether or not Korra was the new Avatar, she was most certainly _not_ Aang.

Just as Aang had not been Roku and Roku had not been Kyoshi.

Korra was her own person and Sokka planned to treat her as such.

She was his granddaughter… and apparently, the new Avatar as well.

"Oh, Yue. Please tell me I'm wrong…" whispered Sokka to himself as he held his squirming granddaughter tenderly, "I mean I'm not a bender! And neither was Suki! Doesn't that make her less likely to be the Avatar? How is this possible?"

"_Your child is a waterbender, Sokka,"_ said an ethereal voice.

Sokka looked up startled at the open window above Korra's crib. The light of the full moon that had been pouring through had taken the form… of Yue.

She looked exactly the same as he remembered her.

"_Both your parents weren't benders either. But yet Katara and your child are. Bending is still very strong in your line Sokka, even if you are not one,"_ she said continuing on.

Tears began to fall down Sokka's aged face as he replied, "Oh, Yue! But, the anti-benders! Once they find out Aang's dead they'll be hunting her. She's just a little girl! Haven't I and my family suffered enough for the greater good? For the sake of others? Can't we just once, live our lives in peace and happiness?"

Yue's blue eyes became quite sad as she answered, _"Korra was chosen because the Avatar spirit wanted to stay linked to your family… You and Katara had shown Aang such love that it did not want to lose that…"_

Sokka's eyes went wide with shock, but then quickly looked away in shame.

"_But that's not the only reason she was chosen. The Avatar spirit also saw a great deal of traits in Korra that came from you… your intelligence, creativity, fighting prowess, and kindness… all of these will help make her a great and strong Avatar… one that will be able to stand up against the anti-benders…"_

"Agreed," said Sokka, knowing now that he could not change his granddaughter's fate. He would give her everything he could to prepare her for what was to come.

"_She must be trained in hand to hand combat as well as bending, Sokka. For she will not always be able to rely on it against this type of foe,"_ said Yue with a serious air.

"I will train her myself," replied Sokka sincerely, "I will teach her everything I know, and protect her with all I am."

Yue smiled sadly at him when he said this… though he did not know why.

"_I know you will… It will be hard to keep her secret from the White Lotus, but you must make sure her parents do so for as long as possible. They will come to her when the time is right…"_

Sokka frowned at this… hearing the implications in her voice.

"I…I won't be here to see it… will I?" asked Sokka, though in his heart he already knew the answer.

Yue just closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I… see," whispered Sokka as he felt the weight of his age finally catch up with him.

"_But do not fret, Sokka," _said Yue comfortingly, _"Her parents, Katara, and Tenzin will still be around to guide her on her journey."_

And the fact that his sister would be around to watch over his granddaughter filled him with a sense of peace.

"Yes, I know they will. Thank you, Yue… for everything," he said sincerely as he took in Yue for what he was sure would be his last time.

"_You're welcome…"_ was her gentle reply. She then leaned over, kissed him on the cheek, and faded back into the moonlight.

When she was gone, Sokka looked back at the child that he held in his arms and suddenly realized that at some point she had fallen asleep.

He smiled down at his dozing granddaughter and pondered if she was having sweet dreams. As he watched her, his determination and resolve grew. He would protect his granddaughter with everything he had for however long the spirits would allow him.

The times were changing, and with them, a new generation to oversee it.

The time of Avatar Aang had passed… and now… it was his granddaughter, Avatar Korra's turn to take up the reins.

Sokka idly wondered who she might meet on her own adventures and what kind of stories she would tell at his age.

All he knew… was that the world better watch out, because Avatar Korra was here to stay.

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><p><strong>-THE END-<strong>

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>So that's my theory everybody. Feel free to post the theory on forums if you want. Just give me credit, okay? Also if you have the chance, plug the story, too, hehehee… Like I said, I'm 70% sure I'm right, and the reason for that is because back in the Comic-con interview with the creators when they answered the question about if Korra was Katara's daughter they said, and I quote: "She's (Korra) not related to them in that way." Meaning she is related to Katara in_ some_ way. (But may just be referring to Aang's spirit). Since Katara's youngest child is Tenzin, Korra can't be her granddaughter. So unless Hakoda had another kid, the only way for that to be possible is if Korra is Sokka's granddaughter or great granddaughter. Both of which are possible depending on when Sokka had his kids. I went with the grandkid angle for the fic. Korra's personality from what we've seen is like a combo of Suki and Sokka as well. Not to mention that she has a ponytail and wears sleeveless shirts like Sokka did. And that according to AvatarSpirit, Korra's name means earth. Odd for someone in the watertribe to have a name that means earth, a nod to Suki perhaps? So that's what I think.

I'm also planning to write a 2 part Avatar: Last Airbender fic called, Of Father and Mother.

Basically, Zuko and Hakoda talk in the first chapter and Sokka and Ursa talk in the second and each find the parent they always needed/didn't have in each other's. So stay tuned for that!

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><p><strong>Updated 328/12: **Hi everyone! I updated the fic with the names of Korra's parents since we know them now. And since they are both waterbenders according to a post on AvatarSpirit, I changed a small bit of dialogue.

I also wanted to add in a few more observations I made since episodes 1&2 came out on KorraNation here at the end of the fic.

One actually has to do with the early concept art for Korra that was put up on AvatarSpirit (google the name and you'll find the fan website right away). Anyway, her hair color, the cut of her hair, and the shape of her eyes scream Suki to me. Meaning they probably had it planned to have her from Sokka's line right from the beginning.

As for with the show, first off, LOVE IT! Amazing story, art, action, and music! But there were three things that stuck out to help support my Sokka theory. First off, Korra is terrible at the spiritual side of being the Avatar. Sokka sucked at spiritual stuff, too. Bending to Korra is a physical reality, and a way of fighting so of course that would be more natural to her.

The second is her relationship and interaction with Tenzin. They are so Sokka and Katara! Sokka has a carefree side that he always knows when to put aside and be serious and he is stubborn but always owns up to the mistakes he's made, just like Korra. Tenzin is always serious, responsible, stubborn and set in his ways, just like Katara but Aang pops out every once and a while. Overall, when they fight they are so Sokka and Katara all over again.

The third is just Korra's overall facial expressions and personality. Just look at her when she's watching the pro-bending match. Can anyone say Sokka at Earth Rumble 6?

Oh! And when she's eating those fish? Sweet, sweet meat.

So in short, I'm even more convinced that she's related to Sokka now. Though judging by how old Kya (Aang and Katara's eldest child) looks, I think he maybe more in the great-grandfather territory where Korra is concerned.

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><p><strong>Updated 726/12: **Well the first season of Korra is now over. It was so wonderful. I loved every moment of it. And of course we still don't know if Korra is related to Sokka or not. I am less sure than I was, but even if she isn't it won't matter to me all that much, because she's still awesome. But I still kinda hope she is. We haven't seen any spawn of Sokka yet, so wee shall see. Also we are going to learn a lot about Korra's family next season, so who knows. Senna, her mother is looking like she may be Sokka and Suki's daughter if Korra is related to him at all.

I changed a bit of Sokka's back story so that he's part of the Republic City council so it is once again in cannon for the most part. If I find out Korra isn't related to him, I'll change the description to AU.

So thank you to everyone who read the fic! I hope you all enjoyed it!

And please remember to review! I'd love to hear what everyone thinks!


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